A guide to appliance repair in Fresno
Beautiful Fresno, California, has diversity, culture and amazing gardens and is a sizable city positioned between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Close to mountains and three national parks, Fresno is a midsize city with much to offer its residents.
The fifth largest city in California, Fresno offers many options for appliance repair services, but choosing the right company to trust with your household appliances can be confusing. In this article, we’ll talk about how to identify the best possible appliance repair companies to trust with your appliances.
What to look for when choosing an appliance repair company in Fresno
If you are a Fresno resident looking for an appliance repair company, you can start the process by narrowing down your choices. To do so, check online for recent reviews, specific qualifications and up-to-date certifications.
This process will narrow down your list, but you’ll likely still have several options. The next step will be to reach out to these appliance repair providers to ask a few important questions. Below we have outlined some details on what to look for in your research and the questions to ask your best appliance repair prospects.
Online business reviews and ratings
You can learn a lot about potential appliance repair providers by reading online reviews. In
addition, you will be able to gauge customer satisfaction and find locations and links to websites
when they are available. You can find online reviews on several websites, apps and social media platforms.
A quick Google search for "washer and dryer repair Fresno" (or whatever kind of appliance you’re looking to fix) will bring up review websites and usually a Google Business listing result for the business. You can find Google Business postings to the right of your search results page. The listing typically includes a Google Maps link so you can see the location (or locations) and a link to the company website, hours of operation, contact information and other useful info. The Google Business listing is usually a good place to start when searching for nearby appliance repair options.
Other websites like Angi (formerly known as Angie’s List), Yellow Pages and Yelp, also offer listings that may have accompanying reviews. You can also check the business's Facebook for reviews once you have a few identified. Checking multiple review locations can help give you a fuller picture of a business's reputation online, as there can be some differences between them. There may also be more current reviews on one platform than another.
How long they’ve been in business
Knowing how long a business has been serving your area is another potential indicator of the quality of an appliance repair service. Long-established providers should have a significant number of reviews for you to look through. Their time in business alone is usually a positive sign of their service and high quality.
To find out how long a company has been in business, you can start by checking for a company website in its “About Us” area. Most established appliance repair companies will have a website that includes their date of establishment. If you can’t find a website or you want to verify the validity of what they report, you can visit the California business entity registration search online and search the company name for its initial filing date.
There may be new providers that are great, but they may not have enough reviews listed online yet to get a good idea of their level of service. If you find a new provider that looks promising, you can take the next step of checking for current certifications and the steps we outline below.
Repair business qualifications
While you may save a little money in the beginning by using an uncertified appliance repair service, you’re risking a lot to save a little. If your repair is not done correctly, you may be stuck paying another repairman to fix your appliance again and have no recourse with the unlicensed provider. You may not even realize the repair was faulty until you have another appliance breakdown. Save yourself the worry by choosing a provider with the proper certifications.
Services like Angi give homeowners another avenue for checking qualifications. Angi only lists businesses that have proper certifications. It also has certified customer reviews that include star ratings. Angi also lets users schedule services directly through its platform, but those who wish to use the services must provide contact information to use the service.
Depending on your appliance manufacturer, the brand’s website may include information for out-of-warranty certified appliance repair providers. For example, Frigidaire (which also covers KitchenAid and Maytag), Whirlpool, Viking, Kenmore and other major brands offer links to locate brand-certified providers. Not all qualified providers may be listed, but it does offer another way to confirm the relationship between the manufacturer and appliance repair provider in Fresno.
Areas of Fresno the repair company serves
If you are in the Fresno area but not in Fresno or Clovis proper, there are still many Fresno-based appliance repair businesses that will serve your area. Check your potential providers' service areas and find out if there are any added fees for them to bring a repair person to your location.
Fresno appliance repair providers typically serve the following cities and surrounding areas:
- Clovis
- Sanger
- Selma
- Kerman
- Parlier
- Kingsburg
- Madera
- Orange Cove
- Chowchilla
- Reedley
- Hanford
- Coalinga
- Firebaugh
- Fowler
- San Joaquin
- Others
Questions to ask your Fresno appliance repair company
When you have your list of potential companies narrowed down, the next step is to contact those providers and ask a few pertinent questions about how their business operates — and get a sense for their level of customer service.
Not sure what kind of questions to ask? You’ll want to get more information about their service warranty, experience with your brand of appliance, insurance coverage and availability of their repair technicians. We’ve outlined some specifics for the questions you should be asking below.
Ask about their service warranty
Appliance repair companies with reliable service and customer-focused will offer some warranty for their work. There may be specific warranty details outlined on their business website, but you may also want to confirm details with their representatives on the phone. If the warranty information is not on the website, they may be able to provide you with a copy of their current warranty via email or send you a physical copy if you want one.
Some things to look for in a home appliance repair warranty include what is covered for labor and whether the warranty covers new or used parts. If you’re a homeowner who prefers a comprehensive warranty, consider investing in a home warranty that will cover all your major appliances — not just the one you’re fixing today.
Ask about their experience with your brand of appliances
An appliance repair company that is certified for a specific brand-name appliance may have more access to parts or valuable experience with that manufacturer. Some companies may also specialize in a particular type of appliance (refrigerator, stovetop, cooktop, microwave, ice maker, etc.). Ask each potential provider if they have repair technicians on staff who are certified and experienced in your appliance model. Appliance repair companies may also focus on commercial or residential services, so be sure you match your needs with the provider's expertise.
If you have a smart appliance that includes networked capabilities (like a Samsung Smart Fridge or Bosch 800 series), you should inquire about the company’s experience with networked appliances. Companies with experience with your appliance brand may have received specialized training for these newer features.
Ask about pricing, fees, estimates, forms of payment and more
It’s a good idea to ask about costs before the repair work begins. Ask your potential repair company to provide information about how pricing works in your initial call. Most companies can provide an estimate, which may come upfront or after an initial service visit. Find out about their pricing, potential additional fees, forms of payment, and how they communicate any changes to initial estimates.
A repair quote should contain:
- Labor cost estimate in hours
- List of parts to be replaced
- Additional costs (weekend up-charge, transportation fee, travel fee, next-day fee, etc.)
- Initial visit fee (if not charged upfront)
- Deposit percentage (if required)
In some cases, a provider might request a deposit to hold space on a technician's schedule. Advance payment may also be required to order a particular replacement part. To be sure there are no cost surprises, you can ask about policies regarding advance payment and what the policies are for refunding any of your upfront costs if there are long delays or scheduling issues. There may be fees for canceling a service call outside of a notification window, so make sure you are available before making an official appointment.
Most providers will take any form of payment, but some companies will not allow technicians to receive cash or check payments. Be sure to ask in advance of your service call what forms of payment are accepted, and if payments will be made directly to the technician after the repair or if they have another payment policy.
You can also ask if estimates come with any price guarantees that protect you from unforeseen additional expenses.
Ask about the repair company’s insurance
Appliance repair providers should have insurance coverage for their services. Ask about what is covered and what is not under their policy should something go wrong with the repair.
For example, a washing machine repair or dishwasher repair done wrong could result in flooding your kitchen. An air-conditioning unit not properly repaired could result in leaking, which causes an issue in your ceiling. Ask what might be covered in whatever your worst-case scenario might be. Hopefully, there will be no need for any of the provided coverage. Still, any appliance repair company should be able to easily and quickly answer these questions for you.
Check the repair company’s appointment availability
It’s not always easy to get away from work to meet with an appliance repair person. If that’s true for you, you should inquire about appointment availability to ensure you can get on their schedule in a timely fashion. You can also ask how soon they can accommodate you if there is a missed appointment on their end. You don’t want to end up on a long waitlist because they are booked up for weeks.
What to do when you have an appliance emergency in Fresno
What’s an appliance emergency? It’s when you are hosting the entire family for Thanksgiving, and your oven conks out when you’re baking your side dishes Tuesday night. Or when your air conditioner shuts down in the middle of a heat wave. In cases like these, you’ll need to find a provider who can do an emergency service call — possibly after hours — and specializes in quickly fixing problems.
Unsurprisingly, emergency service calls will likely cost you more than a regular repair. But some companies that specialize in emergency appliance repairs still offer competitive rates. It's worth doing a little comparison price shopping even though you expect to pay a premium.
To keep yourself from needing an emergency oven repair or washer repair, be sure to do any manufacturer-recommended maintenance and use your appliances as directed. For example, follow recommended HVAC maintenance, don’t overload your washing machine, use recommended cleaning products, and remove the lint from your dryer vents after each load.
What’s the best appliance repair service in Fresno?
Fresno has many high-quality appliance repair services for you to choose from. Look for a provider with experience repairing the specific appliance and brand of the unit you need to fix. Check online for reviews of the companies you are considering to see if they have positive feedback from previous customers. Call and ask potential providers about their service warranty and get estimates and pricing guarantees as soon as possible.
Let Cinch handle the process of finding a professional repair person for you
If you’d like to take the research and guesswork out of your appliance repair search, consider investing in a Cinch Home Services protection plan. Cinch saves you time by only working with extensively vetted, fully insured, professional appliance technicians and partners. You can even schedule a service request directly with Cinch.
A Cinch home warranty covers mechanical failures and the normal wear and tear frequently not protected by manufacturer warranties and insurance policies.
Whether you are a first-time homeowner or you’ve owned your home for years, a home warranty such as the Appliances plan can save you money and give you peace of mind. Sign up to receive a home protection plan quote today.